Baby garment for attaching a formal outfit

ABSTRACT

A garment allowing a baby to wear a formal outfit without having to wear multiple layers and remain comfortable while wearing the formal outfit. The garment includes a bodysuit having means to attach the formal outfit. The formal outfit includes a suspender, a tie or bow tie, and a vest.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Not applicable.

RELATED CO-PENDING U.S. PATENT APPLICATIONS

Not applicable.

INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE OF SEQUENCE LISTING PROVIDED AS A TEXT FILE

Not applicable.

FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not applicable.

REFERENCE TO SEQUENCE LISTING, A TABLE, OR A COMPUTER LISTING APPENDIX

Not applicable.

COPYRIGHT NOTICE

A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains materialthat is subject to copyright protection by the author thereof. Thecopyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyoneof the patent document or patent disclosure for the purposes ofreferencing as patent prior art, as it appears in the Patent andTrademark Office, patent file or records, but otherwise reserves allcopyright rights whatsoever.

BACKGROUND OF THE RELEVANT PRIOR ART

One or more embodiments of the invention generally relate to children'sclothing. More particularly, certain embodiments of the invention relateto a piece of clothing with interchangeable accessories.

The following background information may present examples of specificaspects of the prior art (e.g., without limitation, approaches, facts,or common wisdom) that, while expected to be helpful to further educatethe reader as to additional aspects of the prior art, is not to beconstrued as limiting the present invention, or any embodiments thereof,to anything stated or implied therein or inferred thereupon. One mayexpect that parents typically want their babies to be comfortable whenit comes to clothing. Some parents may also be concerned with the styleof their children's clothing and may wish to dress their children inoutfits with accessories or multiple layers, for example, withoutlimitation, a suit or tuxedo. It is believed that it may be difficult todress or change babies or toddlers in such outfits. Moreover, the childmay be uncomfortable in some situations when wearing clothing withmultiple layers.

By way of educational background, an aspect of the related technologygenerally useful to be aware of is that some children's clothing may beprovided with sewn on accessories which typically cannot be interchangedor removed. One may expect that the inability to remove the accessoriesmay result in difficulty in washing the clothing or the discomfort ofthe child in some settings for example, without limitation, when in acar seat, playing, eating, etc. By way of educational background,another aspect of the related technology generally useful to be aware ofis that some current approaches may enable protective covers such asbibs to be attached to children's clothing to help protect the clothingfrom food that may be spilled when a child is eating.

In view of the foregoing, it is clear that these traditional techniquesare not perfect and leave room for more optimal approaches.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention is illustrated by way of example, and not by wayof limitation, in the figures of the accompanying drawings and in whichlike reference numerals refer to similar elements and in which:

FIGS. 1A and 1B illustrate an exemplary bodysuit to whichinterchangeable accessories may be attached, in accordance with anembodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1A is a diagrammatic frontview, and FIG. 1B is a diagrammatic back view;

FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic back view of an exemplary suspender that may beattached to a piece of clothing implemented to accept interchangeableaccessories, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic back view of an exemplary vest that may beattached to a piece of clothing implemented to accept interchangeableaccessories, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic back view of an exemplary tie that may beattached to a piece of clothing implemented to accept interchangeableaccessories, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;and

FIG. 5 is a diagrammatic back view of an exemplary bow tie that may beattached to a piece of clothing implemented to accept interchangeableaccessories, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

Unless otherwise indicated illustrations in the figures are notnecessarily drawn to scale.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF SOME EMBODIMENTS

The present invention is best understood by reference to the detailedfigures and description set forth herein.

Embodiments of the invention are discussed below with reference to theFigures. However, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate thatthe detailed description given herein with respect to these figures isfor explanatory purposes as the invention extends beyond these limitedembodiments. For example, it should be appreciated that those skilled inthe art will, in light of the teachings of the present invention,recognize a multiplicity of alternate and suitable approaches, dependingupon the needs of the particular application, to implement thefunctionality of any given detail described herein, beyond theparticular implementation choices in the following embodiments describedand shown. That is, there are modifications and variations of theinvention that are too numerous to be listed but that all fit within thescope of the invention. Also, singular words should be read as pluraland vice versa and masculine as feminine and vice versa, whereappropriate, and alternative embodiments do not necessarily imply thatthe two are mutually exclusive.

It is to be further understood that the present invention is not limitedto the particular methodology, compounds, materials, manufacturingtechniques, uses, and applications, described herein, as these may vary.It is also to be understood that the terminology used herein is used forthe purpose of describing particular embodiments only, and is notintended to limit the scope of the present invention. It must be notedthat as used herein and in the appended claims, the singular forms “a,”“an,” and “the” include the plural reference unless the context clearlydictates otherwise. Thus, for example, a reference to “an element” is areference to one or more elements and includes equivalents thereof knownto those skilled in the art. Similarly, for another example, a referenceto “a step” or “a means” is a reference to one or more steps or meansand may include sub-steps and subservient means. All conjunctions usedare to be understood in the most inclusive sense possible. Thus, theword “or” should be understood as having the definition of a logical“or” rather than that of a logical “exclusive or” unless the contextclearly necessitates otherwise. Structures described herein are to beunderstood also to refer to functional equivalents of such structures.Language that may be construed to express approximation should be sounderstood unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.

All words of approximation as used in the present disclosure and claimsshould be construed to mean “approximate,” rather than “perfect,” andmay accordingly be employed as a meaningful modifier to any other word,specified parameter, quantity, quality, or concept. Words ofapproximation, include, yet are not limited to terms such as“substantial”, “nearly”, “almost”, “about”, “generally”, “largely”,“essentially”, “closely approximate”, etc.

As will be established in some detail below, it is well settle law, asearly as 1939, that words of approximation are not indefinite in theclaims even when such limits are not defined or specified in thespecification.

For example, see Ex parte Mallory, 52 USPQ 297, 297 (Pat. Off. Bd. App.1941) where the court said “The examiner has held that most of theclaims are inaccurate because apparently the laminar film will not beentirely eliminated. The claims specify that the film is “substantially”eliminated and for the intended purpose, it is believed that the slightportion of the film which may remain is negligible. We are of the view,therefore, that the claims may be regarded as sufficiently accurate.”

Note that claims need only “reasonably apprise those skilled in the art”as to their scope to satisfy the definiteness requirement. See EnergyAbsorption Sys., Inc. v. Roadway Safety Servs., Inc., Civ. App. 96-1264,slip op. at 10 (Fed. Cir. Jul. 3, 1997) (unpublished) Hybridtech v.Monoclonal Antibodies, Inc., 802 F.2d 1367, 1385, 231 USPQ 81, 94 (Fed.Cir. 1986), cert. denied, 480 U.S. 947 (1987). In addition, the use ofmodifiers in the claim, like “generally” and “substantial,” does not byitself render the claims indefinite. See Seattle Box Co. v. IndustrialCrating & Packing, Inc., 731 F.2d 818, 828-29, 221 USPQ 568, 575-76(Fed. Cir. 1984).

Moreover, the ordinary and customary meaning of terms like“substantially” includes “reasonably close to: nearly, almost, about”,connoting a term of approximation. See In re Frye, Appeal No.2009-006013, 94 USPQ2d 1072, 1077, 2010 WL 889747 (B.P.A.I. 2010)Depending on its usage, the word “substantially” can denote eitherlanguage of approximation or language of magnitude. Deering PrecisionInstruments, L.L.C. v. Vector Distribution Sys., Inc., 347 F.3d 1314,1323 (Fed. Cir. 2003) (recognizing the “dual ordinary meaning of th[e]term [“substantially”] as connoting a term of approximation or a term ofmagnitude”). Here, when referring to the “substantially halfway”limitation, the Specification uses the word “approximately” as asubstitute for the word “substantially” (Fact 4). (Fact 4). The ordinarymeaning of “substantially halfway” is thus reasonably close to or nearlyat the midpoint between the forwardmost point of the upper or outsoleand the rearwardmost point of the upper or outsole.

Similarly, the term ‘substantially’ is well recognized in case law tohave the dual ordinary meaning of connoting a term of approximation or aterm of magnitude. See Dana Corp. v. American Axle & Manufacturing,Inc., Civ. App. 04-1116, 2004 U.S. App. LEXIS 18265, *13-14 (Fed. Cir.Aug. 27, 2004) (unpublished). The term “substantially” is commonly usedby claim drafters to indicate approximation. See Cordis Corp. v.Medtronic AVE Inc., 339 F.3d 1352, 1360 (Fed. Cir. 2003) (“The patentsdo not set out any numerical standard by which to determine whether thethickness of the wall surface is ‘substantially uniform.’ The term‘substantially,’ as used in this context, denotes approximation. Thus,the walls must be of largely or approximately uniform thickness.”); seealso Deering Precision Instruments, LLC v. Vector Distribution Sys.,Inc., 347 F.3d 1314, 1322 (Fed. Cir. 2003); Epcon Gas Sys., Inc. v.Bauer Compressors, Inc., 279 F.3d 1022, 1031 (Fed. Cir. 2002). We findthat the term “substantially” was used in just such a manner in theclaims of the patents-in-suit: “substantially uniform wall thickness”denotes a wall thickness with approximate uniformity.

It should also be noted that such words of approximation as contemplatedin the foregoing clearly limits the scope of claims such as saying‘generally parallel’ such that the adverb ‘generally’ does not broadenthe meaning of parallel. Accordingly, it is well settled that such wordsof approximation as contemplated in the foregoing (e.g., like the phrase‘generally parallel’) envisions some amount of deviation from perfection(e.g., not exactly parallel), and that such words of approximation ascontemplated in the foregoing are descriptive terms commonly used inpatent claims to avoid a strict numerical boundary to the specifiedparameter. To the extent that the plain language of the claims relyingon such words of approximation as contemplated in the foregoing areclear and uncontradicted by anything in the written description hereinor the figures thereof, it is improper to rely upon the present writtendescription, the figures, or the prosecution history to add limitationsto any of the claim of the present invention with respect to such wordsof approximation as contemplated in the foregoing. That is, under suchcircumstances, relying on the written description and prosecutionhistory to reject the ordinary and customary meanings of the wordsthemselves is impermissible. See, for example, Liquid Dynamics Corp. v.Vaughan Co., 355 F.3d 1361, 69 USPQ2d 1595, 1600-01 (Fed. Cir. 2004).The plain language of phrase 2 requires a “substantial helical flow.”The term “substantial” is a meaningful modifier implying “approximate,”rather than “perfect.” In Cordis Corp. v. Medtronic AVE, Inc., 339 F.3d1352, 1361 (Fed. Cir. 2003), the district court imposed a precisenumeric constraint on the term “substantially uniform thickness.” Wenoted that the proper interpretation of this term was “of largely orapproximately uniform thickness” unless something in the prosecutionhistory imposed the “clear and unmistakable disclaimer” needed fornarrowing beyond this simple-language interpretation. Id. In Anchor WallSystems v. Rockwood Retaining Walls, Inc., 340 F.3d 1298, 1311 (Fed.Cir. 2003)” Id. at 1311. Similarly, the plain language of claim 1requires neither a perfectly helical flow nor a flow that returnsprecisely to the center after one rotation (a limitation that arisesonly as a logical consequence of requiring a perfectly helical flow).

The reader should appreciate that case law generally recognizes a dualordinary meaning of such words of approximation, as contemplated in theforegoing, as connoting a term of approximation or a term of magnitude;e.g., see Deering Precision Instruments, L.L.C. v. Vector Distrib. Sys.,Inc., 347 F.3d 1314, 68 USPQ2d 1716, 1721 (Fed. Cir. 2003), cert.denied, 124 S. Ct. 1426 (2004) where the court was asked to construe themeaning of the term “substantially” in a patent claim. Also see Epcon,279 F.3d at 1031 (“The phrase ‘substantially constant’ denotes languageof approximation, while the phrase ‘substantially below’ signifieslanguage of magnitude, i.e., not insubstantial.”). Also, see, e.g.,Epcon Gas Sys., Inc. v. Bauer Compressors, Inc., 279 F.3d 1022 (Fed.Cir. 2002) (construing the terms “substantially constant” and“substantially below”); Zodiac Pool Care, Inc. v. Hoffinger Indus.,Inc., 206 F.3d 1408 (Fed. Cir. 2000) (construing the term “substantiallyinward”); York Prods., Inc. v. Cent. Tractor Farm & Family Ctr., 99 F.3d1568 (Fed. Cir. 1996) (construing the term “substantially the entireheight thereof”); Tex. Instruments Inc. v. Cypress Semiconductor Corp.,90 F.3d 1558 (Fed. Cir. 1996) (construing the term “substantially in thecommon plane”). In conducting their analysis, the court instructed tobegin with the ordinary meaning of the claim terms to one of ordinaryskill in the art. Prima Tek, 318 F.3d at 1148. Reference to dictionariesand our cases indicates that the term “substantially” has numerousordinary meanings. As the district court stated, “substantially” canmean “significantly” or “considerably.” The term “substantially” canalso mean “largely” or “essentially.” Webster's New 20th CenturyDictionary 1817 (1983).

Words of approximation, as contemplated in the foregoing, may also beused in phrases establishing approximate ranges or limits, where the endpoints are inclusive and approximate, not perfect; e.g., see AK SteelCorp. v. Sollac, 344 F.3d 1234, 68 USPQ2d 1280, 1285 (Fed. Cir. 2003)where it where the court said [W]e conclude that the ordinary meaning ofthe phrase “up to about 10%” includes the “about 10%” endpoint. Aspointed out by AK Steel, when an object of the preposition “up to” isnonnumeric, the most natural meaning is to exclude the object (e.g.,painting the wall up to the door). On the other hand, as pointed out bySollac, when the object is a numerical limit, the normal meaning is toinclude that upper numerical limit (e.g., counting up to ten, seatingcapacity for up to seven passengers). Because we have here a numericallimit—“about 10%”—the ordinary meaning is that that endpoint isincluded.

In the present specification and claims, a goal of employment of suchwords of approximation, as contemplated in the foregoing, is to avoid astrict numerical boundary to the modified specified parameter, assanctioned by Pall Corp. v. Micron Separations, Inc., 66 F.3d 1211,1217, 36 USPQ2d 1225, 1229 (Fed. Cir. 1995) where it states “It is wellestablished that when the term “substantially” serves reasonably todescribe the subject matter so that its scope would be understood bypersons in the field of the invention, and to distinguish the claimedsubject matter from the prior art, it is not indefinite.” Likewise seeVerve LLC v. Crane Cams Inc., 311 F.3d 1116, 65 USPQ2d 1051, 1054 (Fed.Cir. 2002). Expressions such as “substantially” are used in patentdocuments when warranted by the nature of the invention, in order toaccommodate the minor variations that may be appropriate to secure theinvention. Such usage may well satisfy the charge to “particularly pointout and distinctly claim” the invention, 35 U.S.C. §112, and indeed maybe necessary in order to provide the inventor with the benefit of hisinvention. In Andrew Corp. v. Gabriel Elecs. Inc., 847 F.2d 819, 821-22,6 USPQ2d 2010, 2013 (Fed. Cir. 1988) the court explained that usagessuch as “substantially equal” and “closely approximate” may serve todescribe the invention with precision appropriate to the technology andwithout intruding on the prior art. The court again explained in EcolabInc. v. Envirochem, Inc., 264 F.3d 1358, 1367, 60 USPQ2d 1173, 1179(Fed. Cir. 2001) that “like the term ‘about,’ the term ‘substantially’is a descriptive term commonly used in patent claims to avoid a strictnumerical boundary to the specified parameter,” see Ecolab Inc. v.Envirochem Inc., 264 F.3d 1358, 60 USPQ2d 1173, 1179 (Fed. Cir. 2001)where the court found that the use of the term “substantially” to modifythe term “uniform” does not render this phrase so unclear such thatthere is no means by which to ascertain the claim scope.

Similarly, other courts have noted that like the term “about,” the term“substantially” is a descriptive term commonly used in patent claims to“avoid a strict numerical boundary to the specified parameter.”; e.g.,see Pall Corp. v. Micron Seps., 66 F.3d 1211, 1217, 36 USPQ2d 1225, 1229(Fed. Cir. 1995); see, e.g., Andrew Corp. v. Gabriel Elecs. Inc., 847F.2d 819, 821-22, 6 USPQ2d 2010, 2013 (Fed. Cir. 1988) (noting thatterms such as “approach each other,” “close to,” “substantially equal,”and “closely approximate” are ubiquitously used in patent claims andthat such usages, when serving reasonably to describe the claimedsubject matter to those of skill in the field of the invention, and todistinguish the claimed subject matter from the prior art, have beenaccepted in patent examination and upheld by the courts). In this case,“substantially” avoids the strict 100% nonuniformity boundary.

Indeed, the foregoing sanctioning of such words of approximation, ascontemplated in the foregoing, has been established as early as 1939,see Ex parte Mallory, 52 USPQ 297, 297 (Pat. Off. Bd. App. 1941) where,for example, the court said “the claims specify that the film is“substantially” eliminated and for the intended purpose, it is believedthat the slight portion of the film which may remain is negligible. Weare of the view, therefore, that the claims may be regarded assufficiently accurate.” Similarly, In re Hutchison, 104 F.2d 829, 42USPQ 90, 93 (C.C.P.A. 1939) the court said “It is realized that“substantial distance” is a relative and somewhat indefinite term, orphrase, but terms and phrases of this character are not uncommon inpatents in cases where, according to the art involved, the meaning canbe determined with reasonable clearness.”

Hence, for at least the forgoing reason, Applicants submit that it isimproper for any examiner to hold as indefinite any claims of thepresent patent that employ any words of approximation.

Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used hereinhave the same meanings as commonly understood by one of ordinary skillin the art to which this invention belongs. Preferred methods,techniques, devices, and materials are described, although any methods,techniques, devices, or materials similar or equivalent to thosedescribed herein may be used in the practice or testing of the presentinvention. Structures described herein are to be understood also torefer to functional equivalents of such structures. The presentinvention will be described in detail below with reference toembodiments thereof as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

References to a “device,” an “apparatus,” a “system,” etc., in thepreamble of a claim should be construed broadly to mean “any structuremeeting the claim terms” exempt for any specific structure(s)/type(s)that has/(have) been explicitly disavowed or excluded oradmitted/implied as prior art in the present specification or incapableof enabling an object/aspect/goal of the invention. Furthermore, wherethe present specification discloses an object, aspect, function, goal,result, or advantage of the invention that a specific prior artstructure and/or method step is similarly capable of performing yet in avery different way, the present invention disclosure is intended to andshall also implicitly include and cover additional correspondingalternative embodiments that are otherwise identical to that explicitlydisclosed except that they exclude such prior art structure(s)/step(s),and shall accordingly be deemed as providing sufficient disclosure tosupport a corresponding negative limitation in a claim claiming suchalternative embodiment(s), which exclude such very different prior artstructure(s)/step(s) way(s).

From reading the present disclosure, other variations and modificationswill be apparent to persons skilled in the art. Such variations andmodifications may involve equivalent and other features which arealready known in the art, and which may be used instead of or inaddition to features already described herein.

Although Claims have been formulated in this Application to particularcombinations of features, it should be understood that the scope of thedisclosure of the present invention also includes any novel feature orany novel combination of features disclosed herein either explicitly orimplicitly or any generalization thereof, whether or not it relates tothe same invention as presently claimed in any Claim and whether or notit mitigates any or all of the same technical problems as does thepresent invention.

Features which are described in the context of separate embodiments mayalso be provided in combination in a single embodiment. Conversely,various features which are, for brevity, described in the context of asingle embodiment, may also be provided separately or in any suitablesubcombination. The Applicants hereby give notice that new Claims may beformulated to such features and/or combinations of such features duringthe prosecution of the present Application or of any further Applicationderived therefrom.

References to “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” “example embodiment,”“various embodiments,” “some embodiments,” “embodiments of theinvention,” etc., may indicate that the embodiment(s) of the inventionso described may include a particular feature, structure, orcharacteristic, but not every possible embodiment of the inventionnecessarily includes the particular feature, structure, orcharacteristic. Further, repeated use of the phrase “in one embodiment,”or “in an exemplary embodiment,” “an embodiment,” do not necessarilyrefer to the same embodiment, although they may. Moreover, any use ofphrases like “embodiments” in connection with “the invention” are nevermeant to characterize that all embodiments of the invention must includethe particular feature, structure, or characteristic, and should insteadbe understood to mean “at least some embodiments of the invention”includes the stated particular feature, structure, or characteristic.

References to “user”, or any similar term, as used herein, may mean ahuman or non-human user thereof. Moreover, “user”, or any similar term,as used herein, unless expressly stipulated otherwise, is contemplatedto mean users at any stage of the usage process, to include, withoutlimitation, direct user(s), intermediate user(s), indirect user(s), andend user(s). The meaning of “user”, or any similar term, as used herein,should not be otherwise inferred or induced by any pattern(s) ofdescription, embodiments, examples, or referenced prior-art that may (ormay not) be provided in the present patent.

References to “end user”, or any similar term, as used herein, aregenerally intended to mean late stage user(s) as opposed to early stageuser(s). Hence, it is contemplated that there may be a multiplicity ofdifferent types of “end user” near the end stage of the usage process.Where applicable, especially with respect to distribution channels ofembodiments of the invention comprising consumed retailproducts/services thereof (as opposed to sellers/vendors or OriginalEquipment Manufacturers), examples of an “end user” may include, withoutlimitation, a “consumer”, “buyer”, “customer”, “purchaser”, “shopper”,“enjoyer”, “viewer”, or individual person or non-human thing benefitingin any way, directly or indirectly, from use of, or interaction with,some aspect of the present invention.

In some situations, some embodiments of the present invention mayprovide beneficial usage to more than one stage or type of usage in theforegoing usage process. In such cases where multiple embodimentstargeting various stages of the usage process are described, referencesto “end user”, or any similar term, as used therein, are generallyintended to not include the user that is the furthest removed, in theforegoing usage process, from the final user therein of an embodiment ofthe present invention.

Where applicable, especially with respect to retail distributionchannels of embodiments of the invention, intermediate user(s) mayinclude, without limitation, any individual person or non-human thingbenefiting in any way, directly or indirectly, from use of, orinteraction with, some aspect of the present invention with respect toselling, vending, Original Equipment Manufacturing, marketing,merchandising, distributing, service providing, and the like thereof.

References to “person”, “individual”, “human”, “a party”, “animal”,“creature”, or any similar term, as used herein, even if the context orparticular embodiment implies living user, maker, or participant, itshould be understood that such characterizations are sole by way ofexample, and not limitation, in that it is contemplated that any suchusage, making, or participation by a living entity in connection withmaking, using, and/or participating, in any way, with embodiments of thepresent invention may be substituted by such similar performed by asuitably configured non-living entity, to include, without limitation,automated machines, robots, humanoids, computational systems,information processing systems, artificially intelligent systems, andthe like. It is further contemplated that those skilled in the art willreadily recognize the practical situations where such living makers,users, and/or participants with embodiments of the present invention maybe in whole, or in part, replaced with such non-living makers, users,and/or participants with embodiments of the present invention. Likewise,when those skilled in the art identify such practical situations wheresuch living makers, users, and/or participants with embodiments of thepresent invention may be in whole, or in part, replaced with suchnon-living makers, it will be readily apparent in light of the teachingsof the present invention how to adapt the described embodiments to besuitable for such non-living makers, users, and/or participants withembodiments of the present invention. Thus, the invention is thus toalso cover all such modifications, equivalents, and alternatives fallingwithin the spirit and scope of such adaptations and modifications, atleast in part, for such non-living entities.

Headings provided herein are for convenience and are not to be taken aslimiting the disclosure in any way.

The enumerated listing of items does not imply that any or all of theitems are mutually exclusive, unless expressly specified otherwise.

It is understood that the use of specific component, device and/orparameter names are for example only and not meant to imply anylimitations on the invention. The invention may thus be implemented withdifferent nomenclature/terminology utilized to describe themechanisms/units/structures/components/devices/parameters herein,without limitation. Each term utilized herein is to be given itsbroadest interpretation given the context in which that term isutilized.

Terminology

The following paragraphs provide definitions and/or context for termsfound in this disclosure (including the appended claims):

“Comprising.” This term is open-ended. As used in the appended claims,this term does not foreclose additional structure or steps. Consider aclaim that recites: “A memory controller comprising a system cache . . .” Such a claim does not foreclose the memory controller from includingadditional components (e.g., a memory channel unit, a switch).

“Configured To.” Various units, circuits, or other components may bedescribed or claimed as “configured to” perform a task or tasks. In suchcontexts, “configured to” or “operable for” is used to connote structureby indicating that the mechanisms/units/circuits/components includestructure (e.g., circuitry and/or mechanisms) that performs the task ortasks during operation. As such, the mechanisms/unit/circuit/componentcan be said to be configured to (or be operable) for perform(ing) thetask even when the specified mechanisms/unit/circuit/component is notcurrently operational (e.g., is not on). Themechanisms/units/circuits/components used with the “configured to” or“operable for” language include hardware—for example, mechanisms,structures, electronics, circuits, memory storing program instructionsexecutable to implement the operation, etc. Reciting that amechanism/unit/circuit/component is “configured to” or “operable for”perform(ing) one or more tasks is expressly intended not to invoke 35U.S.C. sctn. 112, sixth paragraph, for thatmechanism/unit/circuit/component. “Configured to” may also includeadapting a manufacturing process to fabricate devices or components thatare adapted to implement or perform one or more tasks.

“Based On.” As used herein, this term is used to describe one or morefactors that affect a determination. This term does not forecloseadditional factors that may affect a determination. That is, adetermination may be solely based on those factors or based, at least inpart, on those factors. Consider the phrase “determine A based on B.”While B may be a factor that affects the determination of A, such aphrase does not foreclose the determination of A from also being basedon C. In other instances, A may be determined based solely on B.

The terms “a”, “an” and “the” mean “one or more”, unless expresslyspecified otherwise.

Unless otherwise indicated, all numbers expressing conditions,concentrations, dimensions, and so forth used in the specification andclaims are to be understood as being modified in all instances by theterm “about.” Accordingly, unless indicated to the contrary, thenumerical parameters set forth in the following specification andattached claims are approximations that may vary depending at least upona specific analytical technique.

The term “comprising,” which is synonymous with “including,”“containing,” or “characterized by” is inclusive or open-ended and doesnot exclude additional, unrecited elements or method steps. “Comprising”is a term of art used in claim language which means that the named claimelements are essential, but other claim elements may be added and stillform a construct within the scope of the claim.

As used herein, the phase “consisting of” excludes any element, step, oringredient not specified in the claim. When the phrase “consists of” (orvariations thereof) appears in a clause of the body of a claim, ratherthan immediately following the preamble, it limits only the element setforth in that clause; other elements are not excluded from the claim asa whole. As used herein, the phase “consisting essentially of” and“consisting of” limits the scope of a claim to the specified elements ormethod steps, plus those that do not materially affect the basis andnovel characteristic(s) of the claimed subject matter (see Norian Corp.v Stryker Corp., 363 F.3d 1321, 1331-32, 70 USPQ2d 1508, Fed. Cir.2004). Moreover, for any claim of the present invention which claims anembodiment “consisting essentially of” or “consisting of” a certain setof elements of any herein described embodiment it shall be understood asobvious by those skilled in the art that the present invention alsocovers all possible varying scope variants of any describedembodiment(s) that are each exclusively (i.e., “consisting essentiallyof”) functional subsets or functional combination thereof such that eachof these plurality of exclusive varying scope variants each consistsessentially of any functional subset(s) and/or functional combination(s)of any set of elements of any described embodiment(s) to the exclusionof any others not set forth therein. That is, it is contemplated that itwill be obvious to those skilled how to create a multiplicity ofalternate embodiments of the present invention that simply consistingessentially of a certain functional combination of elements of anydescribed embodiment(s) to the exclusion of any others not set forththerein, and the invention thus covers all such exclusive embodiments asif they were each described herein.

With respect to the terms “comprising,” “consisting of,” and “consistingessentially of” where one of these three terms is used herein, thepresently disclosed and claimed subject matter may include the use ofeither of the other two terms. Thus in some embodiments not otherwiseexplicitly recited, any instance of “comprising” may be replaced by“consisting of” or, alternatively, by “consisting essentially of”, andthus, for the purposes of claim support and construction for “consistingof” format claims, such replacements operate to create yet otheralternative embodiments “consisting essentially of” only the elementsrecited in the original “comprising” embodiment to the exclusion of allother elements.

Devices or system modules that are in at least general communicationwith each other need not be in continuous communication with each other,unless expressly specified otherwise. In addition, devices or systemmodules that are in at least general communication with each other maycommunicate directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries.

A description of an embodiment with several components in communicationwith each other does not imply that all such components are required. Onthe contrary a variety of optional components are described toillustrate the wide variety of possible embodiments of the presentinvention.

As is well known to those skilled in the art many careful considerationsand compromises typically must be made when designing for the optimalmanufacture of a commercial implementation any system, and inparticular, the embodiments of the present invention. A commercialimplementation in accordance with the spirit and teachings of thepresent invention may configured according to the needs of theparticular application, whereby any aspect(s), feature(s), function(s),result(s), component(s), approach(es), or step(s) of the teachingsrelated to any described embodiment of the present invention may besuitably omitted, included, adapted, mixed and matched, or improvedand/or optimized by those skilled in the art, using their average skillsand known techniques, to achieve the desired implementation thataddresses the needs of the particular application.

It is to be understood that any exact measurements/dimensions orparticular construction materials indicated herein are solely providedas examples of suitable configurations and are not intended to belimiting in any way. Depending on the needs of the particularapplication, those skilled in the art will readily recognize, in lightof the following teachings, a multiplicity of suitable alternativeimplementation details.

An embodiment of the present invention may provide a garment or clothingcomprising a baby shirt or bodysuit that may comprise means forattaching interchangeable accessories such as, but not limited to,suspenders, ties, bow ties, vests, bows, etc. Some embodiments mayenable a child to typically remain comfortable while having the optionto wear bow ties, ties, vests, suspenders, and other accessories withouthaving to wear multiple layers.

FIGS. 1A and 1B illustrate an exemplary bodysuit 100 to whichinterchangeable accessories may be attached, in accordance with anembodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1A is a diagrammatic frontview, and FIG. 1B is a diagrammatic back view. In the presentembodiment, bodysuit 100 comprises six strategically placed fastenerswhich may allow for the addition and removal of accessories comprisingcorresponding fasteners. Referring to FIG. 1A, the front of bodysuit 100may comprise two shoulder fasteners 105 with one fastener 105 near theupper area of the left shoulder and another fastener 105 near the upperarea of the right shoulder. In addition, bodysuit 100 comprises twoneckline fasteners 110 near the center of the front of the neckline.Shoulder fasteners 105 may enable a vest or suspenders to be affixed tothe front of bodysuit 100, and neckline fasteners 110 may enable a tieor bow tie to be affixed to the front of bodysuit 100. Referring to FIG.1B, the back of bodysuit 100 may comprise two waist fasteners 115, whichmay be used for attaching a vest or suspenders to the back of bodysuit100. In the present embodiment, fasteners 105, 110, and 115 may befemale plastic snap fasteners which may correspond to male plastic snapfasteners on the interchangeable accessories that may be attached tobodysuit 100.

Those skilled in the art will readily recognize, in light of and inaccordance with the teachings of the present invention, that amultiplicity of suitable attachment means may be used in some alternateembodiments to affix the accessories to the clothing including, withoutlimitation, metal snaps, magnets, zippers, buttons, hook and loopmaterial, hook and eye fasteners, other types of hooks, togglefasteners, velcro, tape, adhesive, double sided snaps, etc. Furthermore,it is contemplated that the location of the fasteners may vary in somealternate embodiments. For example, without limitation, some embodimentsmay comprise waist fasteners on both the front and back sides of thebodysuit for attaching items such as, but not limited to belts,cummerbunds, suspenders, skirts, kilts, etc. Other embodiments maycomprise shoulder fasteners on the back side of the bodysuit in additionto or instead of shoulder fasteners on the front side of the bodysuit.In some embodiments the bodysuit may comprise shoulder panels underwhich the fasteners may be located. Yet other embodiments may comprise asingle neckline fastener for a tie or bow tie rather than two fasteners.

In typical use of the present embodiment, a parent may put bodysuit 100on a child and then snap on any accessories of choice using femalefasteners 105, 110, and 115 on bodysuit 100 and opposing male fastenersthat may be found on the accessories. Some embodiments may enable babiesand toddlers to wear more formal type of outfits such as, but notlimited to, suits and tuxedos without the many complicated layers thatare often a challenge to put onto squirmy babies and may beuncomfortable. In the present embodiment, the strategic arrangement ofbodysuit fasteners 105, 110, and 115 typically enables bodysuit 100 tobe worn with the following non-limiting examples of combinations ofaccessories: a bow tie attached to neckline fasteners 110, a tieattached to neckline fasteners 110, a vest attached to shoulderfasteners 105 and waist fasteners 115, suspenders attached to shoulderfasteners 105, a vest attached to shoulder fasteners 105 and waistfasteners 115 with a bow tie or tie attached to neckline fasteners 110,suspenders attached to shoulder fasteners 105 with a bow tie or tieattached to neckline fasteners 110, etc. The parent may remove theaccessories to maintain the comfort of the child if desired for example,without limitation, when the child is feeding, riding in a car seat, oris just tired of wearing the accessories. In some cases, the accessoriesmay be removed for easier washing of bodysuit 100 and the accessories.The ability to easily remove and attach accessories to bodysuit 100 mayalso allow for quick outfit changes. This may be useful for photoshootsor special occasions. Instead of having to change entire garments tocreate different outfits, the parent may be able to leave bodysuit 100on the child and simply snap on a different accessory or accessories fora whole new look.

FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic back view of an exemplary suspender 200 thatmay be attached to a piece of garment or clothing implemented to acceptinterchangeable accessories, in accordance with an embodiment of thepresent invention. In the present embodiment, suspender 200 comprises anupper fastener 205 which may attach to a corresponding fastener or otherattachment means on a piece of clothing. Suspender 200 may also comprisea suspender clip implement 210 which may be affixed to the piece ofclothing to which fastener 205 is attached or may be affixed to anotherpiece of clothing such as, but not limited to a pair of pants. Suspender200 may actually work as functioning suspenders and may be adjusted inlength via a slide implement 215. It is contemplated that someembodiments may be implemented as non-functioning suspenders that may beattached to a piece of clothing for aesthetic purposes only. In theseembodiments the suspenders may or may not be adjustable. In addition,some of these embodiments may not comprise clips, and instead the bottomportions of the suspenders may be affixed to a piece of clothing usingattachment means similar to the attachment means holding the upperportion of the suspenders to the piece of clothing. In the presentembodiment, suspender 200 may be made by placing fastener 205 near thetop of a piece of material approximately inch wide such as, but notlimited to, fabric, ribbon that has been heat treated to preventfraying, elastic, nylon webbing, leather, etc. Then suspender clip 210and slide 215 may be connected to create a working functioningsuspender. In alternate embodiments the suspenders may be made in wideror narrower widths. In the present embodiment, two suspenders aretypically provided so that one suspender may be attached to eachshoulder.

FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic back view of an exemplary vest 300 that may beattached to a piece of garment or clothing implemented to acceptinterchangeable accessories, in accordance with an embodiment of thepresent invention. In the present embodiment, vest 300 may compriseshoulder fasteners 305 which may be affixed to a piece of clothing nearthe shoulders of the wearer and back fasteners 310 that may be affixedto the back of the piece of clothing. Vest panels 315 may be attached inthe middle with buttons 320, other attachment means, or may be sewntogether. Back fasteners 310 may be connected to vest panels 315 withelastic strips 325 to typically allow the vest to stretch.

FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic back view of an exemplary tie 400 that may beattached to a piece of garment or clothing implemented to acceptinterchangeable accessories, in accordance with an embodiment of thepresent invention. In the present embodiment, tie 400 comprises twofasteners 405 near the top that may be affixed to a piece of clothing.Fasteners 405 may be placed approximately 1 inch apart to help keep tie400 straight when attached to the neckline of a piece of clothing. It iscontemplated that some embodiments may have fasteners that are closertogether or further apart. Other embodiments may have only one fastener.Yet other embodiments may have more than two fasteners.

FIG. 5 is a diagrammatic back view of an exemplary bow tie 500 that maybe attached to a piece of garment or clothing implemented to acceptinterchangeable accessories, in accordance with an embodiment of thepresent invention. In the present embodiment, bow tie 500 comprises twofasteners 505 approximately 1 inch apart that may be used to attach bowtie 500 to a piece of clothing. In some embodiments bow ties may havefasteners that are closer together or further apart. Other embodimentsmay have more or fewer fasteners.

Some embodiments of the present invention may be cost effective asseveral outfits can be made by just adding different accessories to asingle piece of clothing. Furthermore, many embodiments may be easy forparents to use and potentially safer since these embodiments do not haveto neck straps for attaching ties and bow ties or complicated suspendersand vests. Prior approaches that have sewn on accessories may notprovide versatility as accessories typically may not be interchanged tomake multiple outfits. Furthermore, these prior approaches may notenable accessories to be removed for washing convenience or for thecomfort of the child.

Many of the embodiments described in the foregoing were directed towardsclothing typically meant as male attire. Yet, it is contemplated thatsome embodiments may be implemented as female attire. Those skilled inthe art will readily recognize, in light of and in accordance with theteachings of the present invention, that a multiplicity of suitableaccessories may be provided to be attached to clothing in accordancewith some embodiments of the preset invention including, withoutlimitation, collars, belts, cummerbunds, bows, sashes, ruffles,necklaces, broaches, skirts, team logos, scarfs, etc. tutus.Furthermore, various different types of clothing other than bodysuitsmay be used in some embodiments such as, but not limited to, shirts,tights, pants, dresses, skirts, pajamas, tutus etc. Moreover, in someembodiments the attachment means for the accessories may be placed in amultitude of locations and arrangements on the clothing. For example,without limitation, attachment means may be provided around the waistfor belts or skirts, attachment means may be located at the sides of theneckline for a necklace or scarf, or attachment means may be located atthe ankles of pants or tights for cuffs, ruffles, or leg warmeraccessories

All the features disclosed in this specification, including anyaccompanying abstract and drawings, may be replaced by alternativefeatures serving the same, equivalent or similar purpose, unlessexpressly stated otherwise. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise,each feature disclosed is one example only of a generic series ofequivalent or similar features.

It is noted that according to USA law 35 USC §112 (1), all claims mustbe supported by sufficient disclosure in the present patentspecification, and any material known to those skilled in the art neednot be explicitly disclosed. However, 35 USC §112 (6) requires thatstructures corresponding to functional limitations interpreted under 35USC §112 (6) must be explicitly disclosed in the patent specification.Moreover, the USPTO's Examination policy of initially treating andsearching prior art under the broadest interpretation of a “mean for”claim limitation implies that the broadest initial search on 112(6)functional limitation would have to be conducted to support a legallyvalid Examination on that USPTO policy for broadest interpretation of“mean for” claims. Accordingly, the USPTO will have discovered amultiplicity of prior art documents including disclosure of specificstructures and elements which are suitable to act as correspondingstructures to satisfy all functional limitations in the below claimsthat are interpreted under 35 USC §112 (6) when such correspondingstructures are not explicitly disclosed in the foregoing patentspecification. Therefore, for any invention element(s)/structure(s)corresponding to functional claim limitation(s), in the below claimsinterpreted under 35 USC §112 (6), which is/are not explicitly disclosedin the foregoing patent specification, yet do exist in the patent and/ornon-patent documents found during the course of USPTO searching,Applicant(s) incorporate all such functionally corresponding structuresand related enabling material herein by reference for the purpose ofproviding explicit structures that implement the functional meansclaimed. Applicant(s) request(s) that fact finders during any claimsconstruction proceedings and/or examination of patent allowabilityproperly identify and incorporate only the portions of each of thesedocuments discovered during the broadest interpretation search of 35 USC§112 (6) limitation, which exist in at least one of the patent and/ornon-patent documents found during the course of normal USPTO searchingand or supplied to the USPTO during prosecution. Applicant(s) alsoincorporate by reference the bibliographic citation information toidentify all such documents comprising functionally correspondingstructures and related enabling material as listed in any PTO Form-892or likewise any information disclosure statements (IDS) entered into thepresent patent application by the USPTO or Applicant(s) or any 3^(rd)parties. Applicant(s) also reserve its right to later amend the presentapplication to explicitly include citations to such documents and/orexplicitly include the functionally corresponding structures which wereincorporate by reference above.

Thus, for any invention element(s)/structure(s) corresponding tofunctional claim limitation(s), in the below claims, that areinterpreted under 35 USC §112 (6), which is/are not explicitly disclosedin the foregoing patent specification, Applicant(s) have explicitlyprescribed which documents and material to include the otherwise missingdisclosure, and have prescribed exactly which portions of such patentand/or non-patent documents should be incorporated by such reference forthe purpose of satisfying the disclosure requirements of 35 USC §112(6). Applicant(s) note that all the identified documents above which areincorporated by reference to satisfy 35 USC §112 (6) necessarily have afiling and/or publication date prior to that of the instant application,and thus are valid prior documents to incorporated by reference in theinstant application.

Having fully described at least one embodiment of the present invention,other equivalent or alternative methods of implementing a piece ofclothing with interchangeable accessories according to the presentinvention will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Various aspectsof the invention have been described above by way of illustration, andthe specific embodiments disclosed are not intended to limit theinvention to the particular forms disclosed. The particularimplementation of the clothing with interchangeable accessories may varydepending upon the particular context or application. By way of example,and not limitation, the clothing described in the foregoing wereprincipally directed to children's clothing implementations; however,similar techniques may instead be applied to adult clothing, whichimplementations of the present invention are contemplated as within thescope of the present invention. The invention is thus to cover allmodifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spiritand scope of the following claims. It is to be further understood thatnot all of the disclosed embodiments in the foregoing specification willnecessarily satisfy or achieve each of the objects, advantages, orimprovements described in the foregoing specification.

Claim elements and steps herein may have been numbered and/or letteredsolely as an aid in readability and understanding. Any such numberingand lettering in itself is not intended to and should not be taken toindicate the ordering of elements and/or steps in the claims.

The corresponding structures, materials, acts, and equivalents of allmeans or step plus function elements in the claims below are intended toinclude any structure, material, or act for performing the function incombination with other claimed elements as specifically claimed.

The corresponding structures, materials, acts, and equivalents of allmeans or step plus function elements in the claims below are intended toinclude any structure, material, or act for performing the function incombination with other claimed elements as specifically claimed. Thedescription of the present invention has been presented for purposes ofillustration and description, but is not intended to be exhaustive orlimited to the invention in the form disclosed. Many modifications andvariations will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the artwithout departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. Theembodiment was chosen and described in order to best explain theprinciples of the invention and the practical application, and to enableothers of ordinary skill in the art to understand the invention forvarious embodiments with various modifications as are suited to theparticular use contemplated.

The Abstract is provided to comply with 37 C.F.R. Section 1.72(b)requiring an abstract that will allow the reader to ascertain the natureand gist of the technical disclosure. That is, the Abstract is providedmerely to introduce certain concepts and not to identify any key oressential features of the claimed subject matter. It is submitted withthe understanding that it will not be used to limit or interpret thescope or meaning of the claims.

The following claims are hereby incorporated into the detaileddescription, with each claim standing on its own as a separateembodiment.

What is claimed is:
 1. A garment comprising: a bodysuit configured to beworn by a baby or a toddler, wherein said bodysuit comprises: a frontsection; a back section; a left shoulder portion of said front and backsections; a right shoulder portion of said front and back sections; aneckline portion of said front and back sections; a waistline portion ofsaid front and back sections; a first shoulder fastener disposedproximate an upper area of said left shoulder portion; a second shoulderfastener disposed proximate an upper area of said right shoulderportion; a neckline fastener, disposed proximate a center area of saidfront section of said neckline portion; a first waistline fastenerdisposed proximate a left area of said back section of said waistlineportion; and a second waist fastener disposed proximate a right area ofsaid back section of said waistline portion; and a formal outfit, saidformal outfit comprising at least one or many formal outfit fastenersconfigured to attach to said bodysuit fastener.
 2. The garment of claim1, in which said formal outfit comprises at least a suspender having anupper suspender fastener, and wherein said first and second shoulderfasteners are configured to enable said suspender to be affixed to saidfront section of said bodysuit.
 3. The garment of claim 1, in which saidformal outfit comprises at least a tie, said tie comprising at least twotie fasteners that are configured to attach to said bodysuit.
 4. Thegarment of claim 3, in which said bodysuit neckline fastener comprisesat least two bodysuit neckline fasteners, wherein said at least two tiefasteners are configured to attach to said at least two bodysuitneckline fasteners.
 5. The garment of claim 1, in which said formaloutfit comprises at least a bow tie, and in which said bodysuit necklinefastener comprises at least two bodysuit neckline fasteners, whereinsaid bow tie comprising at least two bow tie fasteners that areconfigured to attach to said bodysuit neckline fasteners.
 6. The garmentof claim 5, in which said formal outfit comprises at least a vest, saidvest comprising at least a vest panel having shoulder fastenersconfigured to attach to said bodysuit shoulder fasteners, said vestpanel further comprising back fasteners configured to attach to saidbodysuit waist fasteners.
 7. A garment comprising: a bodysuit, whereinsaid bodysuit comprises: a front section; a back section; a leftshoulder portion of said front and back sections; a right shoulderportion of said front and back sections; a neckline portion of saidfront and back sections; a waistline portion of said front and backsections; a first shoulder fastener disposed proximate an upper area ofsaid left shoulder portion; a second shoulder fastener disposedproximate an upper area of said right shoulder portion; a necklinefastener, disposed proximate a center area of said front section of saidneckline portion; a first waistline fastener disposed proximate a leftarea of said back section of said waistline portion; and a second waistfastener disposed proximate a right area of said back section of saidwaistline portion.
 8. The garment of claim 7, wherein said bodysuit is abodysuit configured to be worn by a baby or a toddler.
 9. The garment ofclaim 8, further comprising a formal outfit, wherein said formal outfitcomprises at least one or many formal outfit fasteners configured to beattached to said bodysuit.
 10. The garment of claim 9, in which saidformal outfit comprises at least one or many formal outfit fastenerscorresponding to at least one of said bodysuit shoulder fastener, saidneckline fastener and said waistline fastener.
 11. The garment of claim10, wherein said bodysuit fastener comprises at least a female plasticsnap fastener, and wherein said at least one or many formal outfitfastener comprises at least a male plastic snap fasteners.
 12. Thegarment of claim 9, in which said formal outfit comprises at least asuspender, and in which said suspender comprises at least a fastener ata distal end of said suspender.
 13. The garment of claim 12, whereinsaid first and second shoulder fasteners is configured to enable said atleast one suspender to be affixed to said front section of saidbodysuit.
 14. The garment of claim 14, in which said suspender furthercomprises a clip implement configured to be operable for attaching anopposite end of said suspender.
 15. The garment of claim 14, in whichsaid suspender comprises a slide implement configured to adjust a lengthof said suspender.
 16. The garment of claim 9, wherein said formaloutfit comprises at least one of a tie and a bow tie.
 17. The garment ofclaim 16, in which said neckline fastener comprises at least twoneckline fasteners, wherein said neckline fastener is configured toenable said at least one of a tie and a bow tie to be affixed to saidfront section of said bodysuit.
 18. The garment of claim 9, in whichsaid formal outfit comprises at least a vest, said vest is configured toattach to said bodysuit.
 19. The garment of claim 18, in which said vestcomprising at least a vest panel having shoulder fasteners configured toattach to said bodysuit shoulder fasteners, said vest panel furthercomprising vest back fasteners configured to attach to said bodysuitwaist fasteners.
 20. A garment comprising: an outfit means comprising: asuspender comprising a means for adjusting a length of said suspenderand a suspender affixing means; a vest comprising a means for adjustinga waistline of said vest and a vest affixing means; and at least one ofa tie and a bow tie, said at least one of a tie and a bow tie comprisingat least one of a tie and a bow tie affixing means; and means forattaching said outfit, said outfit attaching means comprising: means forattaching said suspender; means for attaching said vest; and means forattaching said at least one of a tie and a bow tie.